Why do we sing?
This isn't really an up-date to our activities but a reflection on some issues that have been raised by some singers about the nature of gospel music.
To me, gospel music has always been entirely indissociable from the gospel (QED!). I was brought up in a church where the musical element was a very important dimension of our worship, and although it was not 'gospel' music, the outreach element was the same. When I first realised that some people involved in gospel singing here in France didn't even know that they were preaching God's word I was shocked!
I was reluctant to pursue my singing with them as I didn't know if the integrity of the message was getting through. (This was never a judgement on the singers themselves, only about the way the music would be perceived by those listening.) Since, I have come to the conclusion (in fact I have returned to the way I thought about things in my adolescence : is it regression or progress??!!) that people sing for a variety of reasons and that God is working through all of us whether believer or not. The Bible is full of stories where He has used non-believers in His work : think of Pharoah putting Joseph in charge of all his property and inviting his family to live in the region of Egypt during the famine (Genesis 45 : 1-15); or Saul of Damascus who by his persecution of Christians and subsequent conversion was a pretty good advertisement for God! (Acts 8 : 1-3; Acts 9 : 1-22).
The question was raised again when Akwa-Gospel was deciding whether to sing for a wedding. Here are the thoughts of one of our sopranos, who is non-religious :
"If someone is a believer, the least they can do is to appreciate the diversity in the world and the people they encounter. There are so many religions, or so many other ways of perceiving our passage on this earth!
I did some soul-searching before signing up to the summer gospel course. Karen Gibson's words helped me : if you have something you can offer others, do it. You need to be aware of what you can give others (and they will return your gifts).
I think of my presence at the wedding as a gift. Singing is a gift we can offer those who can't sing or who don't dare to and who like it. If I can bring them pleasure that's all that matters...I'll praise the Lord to please them, in the same way I used to sing songs I didn't like to please my grandmother."
To me, gospel music has always been entirely indissociable from the gospel (QED!). I was brought up in a church where the musical element was a very important dimension of our worship, and although it was not 'gospel' music, the outreach element was the same. When I first realised that some people involved in gospel singing here in France didn't even know that they were preaching God's word I was shocked!
I was reluctant to pursue my singing with them as I didn't know if the integrity of the message was getting through. (This was never a judgement on the singers themselves, only about the way the music would be perceived by those listening.) Since, I have come to the conclusion (in fact I have returned to the way I thought about things in my adolescence : is it regression or progress??!!) that people sing for a variety of reasons and that God is working through all of us whether believer or not. The Bible is full of stories where He has used non-believers in His work : think of Pharoah putting Joseph in charge of all his property and inviting his family to live in the region of Egypt during the famine (Genesis 45 : 1-15); or Saul of Damascus who by his persecution of Christians and subsequent conversion was a pretty good advertisement for God! (Acts 8 : 1-3; Acts 9 : 1-22).
The question was raised again when Akwa-Gospel was deciding whether to sing for a wedding. Here are the thoughts of one of our sopranos, who is non-religious :
"If someone is a believer, the least they can do is to appreciate the diversity in the world and the people they encounter. There are so many religions, or so many other ways of perceiving our passage on this earth!
I did some soul-searching before signing up to the summer gospel course. Karen Gibson's words helped me : if you have something you can offer others, do it. You need to be aware of what you can give others (and they will return your gifts).
I think of my presence at the wedding as a gift. Singing is a gift we can offer those who can't sing or who don't dare to and who like it. If I can bring them pleasure that's all that matters...I'll praise the Lord to please them, in the same way I used to sing songs I didn't like to please my grandmother."
Gospella
posted by Gospella @ 10:58 am
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